Calling International Gooners

Lieutenant-Colonel Richard DidIt DSO and Bar, otherwise known as My Great Uncle Dick DidIt, was far from the hero his gongs would imply. The reality is that the man was simply a massive Con Artist, or what we refer to these days as a Salesman. History is littered with such rogues. Stan Flashman, Gerald Ratner and Harry Redknapp all spring to mind.

Now the reason I mention these unsavoury elements is that while some argue that what we at The Arsenal need is a defensive coach, a midfield thug or perhaps a spendy squillionaire owner, I would argue that what we need most of all is a Salesman. Here’s why.

Some talk of a recession and this will affect football. Utter claptrap. Every second that we sit here, up goes another satellite dish somewhere in the rapidly developing world. Couple of points on this. The emerging industrial powerhouses of the world have a few things in common. One is, there are one hell of lot of people in them, and the other is many millions of them like their footie very much, and we are going to need them to stay at the top table.

However, in order to garner the support of future generations, we need to know what it is about The Arsenal that appeals.

Most domestic Arsenal Supporters were signed up as a result of emerging from the womb in the Borough of Islington, while some like myself simply followed a Gooner Father who I liked. Others may have had Spud Fathers who they didn’t like and simply did the obvious thing. Revenge.

However, what we know is that millions of bright eyed and highly intelligent young guns from around the globe discover their spiritual homes at The Arsenal. Why?

Whatever it is, we need to be at the top table in terms of desirability. Of course exposure on the world stage through Champions League Football is key, and I know that there are people who will suggest that trophies are the only measure of attracting new followers, but I wonder. What draws in new fans. Do Utd have such a massive following in the Far East simply because of their Park? I don’t think so. David Beckingham got the shirts selling and the girls screaming. Ronaldo drew in homosexuals and lady boys. This was sensible and clever salesmanship.

Why do we have so many amazing fans in Nigeria? Is it just because of Kanu? Ditto Iceland with Siggi Jonsson? I don’t know but would love to find out. There are Gooners in every corner of the globe. We are a global brand, a huge family, so what is the glue. What was the first seed? A game? A player?

So, International Gooners wherever you are, we all share the same Mistress. Why?

123 Responses to Calling International Gooners

Good idea for a post Micky, it’ll be interesting to see how it all begun

Alan Smith, and my Grandmas love for Alan Smith. She was an Arsenal fan who grow up in North London but came over to oz. So i used to watch vhs tapes sent over by he sister (still in England) when she took care of me. Then thankfully they were always on SBS later on (good watching games that weren’t ridiculously delayed). My grandma started me young and now i can’t live without them

Oz and Scott,
Wow. Its amazing what a great hand Lady Luck has dealt some of us :-)
In my case, I was born in Brighton (50 miles from London). My father, although not football nuts, grew up a Wolves fan, but during his time in the army, he was with the Royal Artillery (aka The Gunners) so switched sides.
He took me to my first game in ’73, evening game at home to Leeds. We lost 1-2, but I was completely hooked.

Arsenal fan from India. It seems strange but it was a computer game (I think Championship manager 97) which made me notice our great club. (Had only heard of ManU before really, and seen Beckham’s goal from the halfway line) In the game, the name ARSENAL stood out because it was a cool name as opposed to all the city names, and the white sleeves on the shirt were distinctive.

My favorite player was Bergkamp after his exploits at the World Cup 98 and his being at Arsenal only strengthened my association with the club.

I’d like to say that for me personally, the trophies were not a factor in it at all. I took those as a bonus because when I decided I liked the name (and hence the team) Arsenal, I took us to be a midtable team. What trophies do is, it allows the club to increase their visibility through the press. Such as ManU did much earlier, and then we did, followed by Chelsea and now City I guess.

But I didn’t like the ManU brandwagon and hype. It put me off. I much prefer the understated way in which we do things. So I guess in a way, I found my club (or the other way round) Our history, our class, our football. All of these make me proud, and I identify with our club for these reasons in a bond much stronger than mere trophies.

In my estimation I think I started being an Arsenal fan at about 1996. I must admit I didn’t know much about football back then, nevermind Arsenal! I guess the reason I started rooting for Arsenal is becuase I despised all the United glory hunter fanboys.

Despite the recent disappointments I find myself loving Arsenal more and more. Actually I’m planning a trip to the Emirates next season; just waiting for the schedule to be released.

My dad and a group of mates started the Glenquarie Gunners….
We had a letter from Arsenal endorsing the use of the Gunners nickname.
I’ve long moved from the area,but my brother was the first Gunner to play 300 and then 500 games for the club,and I was second both times.
Some of my best memories were watching FA cup finals at the clubhouse….the only live game we’d get each year.
I remain a loyal and avid Gooner to this day.

Brilliant post Shard and great to hear from you.
I honestly thought this would be a rubbish post, but hearing from new Gonners around the world is fantastic.
I love the different reasons you all adopted The Arsenal.

My love for The Arsenal was accidental. That was in 1995. Back in the day, we did not have sattelite Tv in Africa. The little we new about football was through newspapers. The world cup of 1994 started me off, and it was because Dennis Bergkamp had a very good world cup then. I followed him to his next team, which turned out to be Arsenal. I have never looked back since.

Egyptian gooner here, I’ve been a fan since ’99, what drew me to Arsenal was the speed of the counter attacks mixed in with bergkamp and finished off with Henry. I’ve been hooked ever since. Trophies didn’t hurt either. Since then I’ve been choosing London for most of my vacations just to go watch a game or two, I started with henry’s hattrick against Portsmouth in highbury’s final season and ended with the 7-1 win against Blackburn this season. Unfortunately I actually travelled for a weekend just to see us play spurs….where we lost 3-2, worst day of my life.

Left nth London for Oz when 7 years old and starting playing for my school team in ’71. I needed a club to follow and my memory of football was all about The Arsenal and the Double winning year ! And so it was. Became fanatical from a young age and still am. One sport, one team, one passion ( just don’t tell the misses)’

I was six in 1979 when one of the few televised soccer events of those days, the FA Cup final featured arsenal and man utd.
It was the first match i ever watched from start to glorious finish.
I favoured arsenal from the start as i loved the kit to be frank – how could you not like yellow and blue

but i started out neutral and all my friends, neighbours etc were up for man u, even the liverpool heads
so being a contrary child i asked why and they all talked about the great irish connection with the man utd
but i said “Arsenal have 6 irishmen in the team.” (albeit 3 of them where northies) and an irish manager!!
People seemed blind to this.

I watched the game with about 6 or 7 kids and a couple of adults in my friends house and as the magic of that game wore on, the underdogs bit twice before half time and then with 5 minutes left the favourites scored twice and the triumpantism in the room was sickening – i had watched the first capitulation of my team and i felt crest fallen –

i think oddly that losing the two goal lead was where the emotional tie was formed – if we had of just won 2 nil i probably would have just gone on another year and supported one of the herd teams.
But as the entire room was jumping around singing “Glory glory”i sat there distraught, irealising that i had a stake in the game.

And as that fragile link sat in place Alan Sunderland whacked it into permanance with an almighty sliding hammer.

and ever since my character development and emotional wellbeing has been linked to the fates of 11 red shirts with white sleeves 287 miles away.

Double98
I was there with you living every kick of that game as would have been all other Gooners. The one other remarkable match that sits right at the forefront of Arsenal folklore in my mind is Mickey Thomas slotting home in the last match of the season against Liverpool where we won the league on goal difference from Liverpool. Extraordinary !
Neal

I’m a Nigerian and I’ve been an Arsenal since 2002. I hate defensive minded teams and was very happy with France comeback against Italy in Euro 2000 final.

Back then I like Ajax, Madrid and Arsenal because of the style of play. Out of the three Arsenal belongs where my language is spoken.

As for many Arsenal fans in Nigeria. They prefer English league because of language and kick off times not late night like la liga. Kanu was also there and Arsenal was successful and known for their beautiful football.

It’s not just because of Kanu, Jay Jay Okocha was also loved and his clubs didn’t get such followership likewise when Martins was in Inter.

If it’s just success, Barcelona should have the largest fanbase here but Arsenal, Chelsea and Man U have more fans than them in Nigeria.

You might wonder what language has to do. An English speaking person would find Everton vs Bolton more appealing than Cagliari vs Udinese. Apart from pronunciation, he won’t be able to read the banners the Italian fans are holding, he’ll definitely prefer English commentary and so on.

The English language, quality of English league, the success of the team and having a Nigerian player was the foundation for Arsenal fanatism in Nigeria.

Can’t wait for Arsenal to arrive Abuja.

We are the proudest in the country until Wenger and co allowed Chelsea’s recent domination in London :-(

I hope we’ll win the CL soon and further cement ourselves as the Pride of London.

Abiola,
Great point about the language. I guess that’s part of the reason we appear to have so few Gooners in South America. Apart from the fact they have great domestic sides, they will have a linguistic link to the Spanish Clubs.
Do the French speaking African countries follow French teams do you think?

I just like red lol….Nah, Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry sealed the deal for me.

I am from Trinidad and Tobago, always liked football but watched it casually. At that time (late 90’s early 2000’s) so, Manchester United was the biggest thing for us because we had Dwight York playing there and I remember them winning the treble and my dad saying see that team, that’s the best team in England. For some reason I just never really liked them…something about them just kinda rubbed me the wrong way (to this day I say its because I was meant to be an Arsenal fan hahahaha). But yeah, that’s kinda how i got introduced to club football.

Then I remember at 12 years old watching the 2002 world cup (at that time all I watched was world cup football) and seeing players like Bergkamp, Henry and Seaman and saying to myself…”Damn those players are pretty good”. Then I found out that all of them played for the same club…Arsenal. So the logical conclusion was if these players who impressed me so much in the world cup all played for the same team then Arsenal must be some kind of monster lol.

Then years much later (sadly, cause I missed some great stuff) I decided to start seriously watching club football and I remembered Arsenal, so decided to check them out….blown away by their fast flowing style never stopped watching them since.

I’m kind of a recent fan you should say because I have only been seriously supporting them for 6 years….hope I’m not the Jinx that caused us to go this little stretch without silverware hahahaha

What a fantastic post, Micky.
Loving the responses from around the world.
Shard’s “brandwagon” is a brilliant way of describing those hitching a ride with Manyoo.

My old man was such a passionate Arsenal supporter that we knew to keep out of his way if the team had suffered a defeat. Why I would want to inflict the same sort of emotional torture upon myself as I’d seen him endure? I’m not quite sure. However there was simply no other choice. Arsenal is my philosophy, my religion, my one true passion.

We moved from oz to London (near Stamford Bridge). Rowdy Chavs fans used to keep me awake at night. So I did the only logical thing-chose the first to beat them and support them. Funnily enough that was Arsenal

Arsenal fan from Malaysia. Started supporting Arsenal since 98/99 season. There’s only two top club in Premier League back then and the choices was quite easy. Like Hamed, I started rooting for Arsenal because I despised all the United glory hunter fanboys.

It’s a little bit difficult here to support Arsenal because bragging rights matters more than anything. Chelsea and City’s fan’s number is growing up each year, and Arsenal fans number more or less is still the same since the Invincible. and i’ve seen some Spuds supporters too somewhere in the last two years, don’t know how the bragging rights comes with that one. :-)

Hola GOONERS everywhere
If you are ever in the Costa Blanca check out the Arsenal supporters club in a town called Javea ( between AlIcante and Valencia)
We have every game on live and my fellow Gooners in the Uk even call me for updates and how we are playing in the games
GOONERS Here GOONERS There GOONERS Every f**king Where
Have a great Sunday where ever you are in Gooner land
Steve ( Javea)

i am a nigerian gunners fan. I started supporting arsenal fc after watching season review clips on a local tv station featuring kanu for the gunners.Although i was rather naive back then but the gunners style of play got me hooked on and despite a couple of trophyless seasons i can’t imagine myself supporting any other club around the globe other than the GLORIOUS ARSENAL for the bond binding me to the club is inexplicable, inextricable and much stronger than the strong nuclear force. Fellow fans keep the FAITH afterall the darkest period is just before the dawn.

I’m 21 years old and got my big taste of european football (players) in the 98 world cup. Even though he wasn’t the star of the show i loved henry and my brother, zidane. from then on i supported the fff. i had already watched a bit of serie a, was fond of juve ironically, and after the world cup fell in love with the prem.

i had already picked us as my team (as dedicated as an 8yo can be) but i guess thierry’s transfer was the real beginning. i think he was meant to lead me to le prof, whom i instantly took a huge liking to. there was something about his philosophy and the way he went about his business that captivated me from a very young age. our style of football stood out above everyone else even in a losing effort.

not to get cheesy but as much as i love my favorite american sports teams in the NBA, NFL, MLB, college sports, golf and tennis, i hold arsenal far above the rest. there has never been a point in my life that i couldn’t see myself picking arsenal for all that we (at least try) to represent and there is something about the history of european club football, especially ours, that can make american sports look downright plain at times. the place we hold in world football, i believe, is of great relevance and fuels my belief that things can be done the ‘right’ way as much as it’s makes us rip our hair out these past few season.

i should note that i am not quite your average american supporter, if only for the fact that i never miss a match, literally (well maybe 4 or 4 this season but that’s it including cups and preseason). the time difference means my neighbors have heard as many screams of van persie’s name as profanity at some ungodly hours of the morning throughout this season.

i also watch sky sports live at 11pm before bed and get most of my gooner news from bloggers such as legrove, online gooner, etc along with newsnow and like any good supporter, don’t believe a player has signed for the club until his 5th league appearance or so.

and last year, since wenger won’t come to the states, my biggest complaint about the man (ha, i wish), i had to make the trip to finally see the boys. i was lucky(?) enough to be in the 17th row for the 3-3 draw in the derby last year and can now finally say i’ve witnessed the frustrating greatness that my life revolves around. it was an experience i’ll never forget and capitalized my sincere distaste for our unaccomplished neighbors.

so i’ve rambled a bit but it’s out of love. i hope that our future preseason tours can include the states but i will certainly back, hopefully for some european action next time.

to answer the question directly, there is something truly special about this club regardless of any trophy drought or stigma concocted by the media that most people here base their MLS/donovan-loving opinions on. as i said before, i like what we do and how we do it. i’m certain i’m stealing someone’s line with the closing sentiment that we are nowhere near perfect but at least we aren’t sp*rs, and in the big picture that’s all i ask for.

I lived with a spuds fan in college. He was a real asshole. He asked who I liked and told him I didn’t have a team. I asked him who his team was and he replied spuds. So of course I asked who their nemesis was and he said Arsenal.

Arsenal fan from Malaysia. Started supporting Arsenal since 98/99 season. There’s only two top club in Premier League back then and the choices was quite easy. Like Hamed, I started rooting for Arsenal because I despised all the United glory hunter fanboys.

It’s a little bit difficult here to support Arsenal because bragging rights matters more than anything. Chelsea and City’s fan’s number is growing up each year, and Arsenal fans number more or less is still the same since the Invincible. and i’ve seen some Spuds supporters too somewhere in the last two years, don’t know how the bragging rights comes with that one. :-)

Boomer, I lived in LA for a few years and well remember the antisocial hours involved in watching the matches. I watched most of them at an English pub in Studio City (the Fox and Hounds). It was quite an adjustment to get used to watching 3pm kick-offs at 7am, but the consolation was having a nice English fry-up in front of me :)

Arsenal fan from kenya.followed Arsenal since 98 after the heroics of Dennis Berghkamp and Patrick Viera…I love this mighty club of ours since it gives me some of the highest highs but also some of the lowest lows.but i would not substitute it for anything.I remember sneaking out of boarding school to go watch a game and got suspended for my troubles!!! we have not won any trophies of late but we still have more Arsenal fans in Kenya than both united and Chelsea!! hoping to win a trophy next season…ARSENAL.BY FAR THE GREATEST CLUB!!

My family originate from Nigeria but strangely enough I was born a Gooner (18 now). My Grandma was really into football but only supported local teams and the National team. So my mum was into football too and she watched the premier league and supported Arsenal. Now me and my siblings are all die hard Arsenal fans as well. If I didn’t support Arsenal I’d probably be disowned. And we all intend on keeping the team within the family.
I moved to manchester as a kid and being an Arsenal fan surrounded by United fans made me hate them with a passion and now City fans are popping out of nowhere too so over the last couple of years I’ve developed an intense hatred of them too. The older I get the more I love Arsenal, even without the trophies. We have more class than most teams could dream of and pay football the right way.

It’s me the Egyptian gooner again, I have an interesting arsenal story I’d like to share, I was on vacation in kualalumpur summer of ’04 and I had just purchased the then new home and away kits, and the Nike store they’re didn’t have name printing and neither the one in Egypt. So I searched everywhere until I found the official man utd store, so I went asked for a shirt printing and when the guy asks me what number I say fourteen , he gives me a wierd look coz man u’s 14 was djemba djema or Quintin fortune at that moment I pull my arsenal shirts from the bag!! The look on the guys face was priceless, he was nice enough to do it though.

Hey, Arsenal fan from India. Ironically, Arsenal haven’t won a single trophy since I have started supporting them – I keep telling myself that correlation doesn’t imply causation and this purely coincidental. The first match I watched was the CL finals, and my heart went out for Arsenal as Barca clawed back to win against the 10 man Gunners.

The reason I fell for Arsenal as a team was their philosophy and the way they went about business. Often I am asked, whether my loyalties would change if Arsenal were bought by a sugar daddy who turned it to a citeh or Chelski, and I think it would. I support Arsenal for the principles it follows, though a lot of nostalgia as well as attachment has developed over the last 6 trophy less seasons.

How I wish that changes. Also, I first noticed Arsenal in FIFA 2004 (Game) as the team with the coolest name.

Wow.
All I can say is that “International Gooners” you are a credit to the Club. I love your stories and reasons for choosing to be Gooners. So many of us were simply born into it, whereas you guys have selected Arsenal for all the reasons that make it such a fabulous family to be part of.
Great stuff.

I forget which game it was, but the year was 1998 and I remember watching Bergkamp and being entranced. It was the first football match I saw without having to prop my eyelids with toothpicks to keep myself from nodding off. I admit, prior to this, I only pretended to like football because of a boy I was seeing.

I lost interest in the boy (thank god!) but have followed Arsenal since. I knew for sure that it was love when I, hand on heart, could say that I preferred to see Ljungberg kitted in our red and white than shirtless/and in his CKs. ;)

Just to echo Rockys sentiments, this the best combination of article and comments i have ever read on this site. All credit to Micky and to all the overseas Gonners for posting there stories. I must admit i have always been a bit cynical when i think of supporters from far away lands. My impresions have always been a bit “Hey buddy, whats that Manchester Rovers team that play in blue and won the superbowl, ime supporting them dude” I now realise that my old views were rubbish and that i was completely wrong.

What has struck me from the range of stories, is that in general choosing to support Arsenal is a choice. Most of us born over here didnt face that option. We tended to follow our families or communitys traditions. I mean, with bad luck i could easily have been “Ralph Coates Hair Transplant”, Rocky could have been “Hoddle lives”, and the author Micky maybe, “Ossies gonna do it again”. Choice shoes carachter and judgement, and reading some of the stories, sometimes luck. To all gooners across the world i say ‘God Bless’.

Micky, i am lucky that in nyc we have such a diverse ethnic mix. This is great if you, like i do, enjoy spicey international cuisine, and . spicey, exotic women. But also have friends who are from Britain, europe, africa, south america. So i can find a few friends to chat about footballl. . Im the only gunner i know well, but its fun that way too. I must say a special thank you to rupert murdoch,( however unpopular ) and sky, because they are behind the fox soccer channels in the U S. Wall to wall coverage of premier and lower leagues. Also champions and europa leagues. Almost no U S. League soccer coverage of which i have little interest. I think its
easier for me to see matches than anyone. In new york
i also have a sports net that gets me arsenal 360 and
arsenal world shows weekly, so i get some proper
history of the club, aside from you guys.

What a fantastic post. Fantastic comments too. I’m a gooner from Lambeth (technically overseas) I went to the chavs place a few times when they had osgood and bonetti. I didn’t like the experience at all. In 76 I matrried my first wife and her brothers basically told me to support Arsenal. I also had a lot of bad experiences with the dirty chav while I was a punk working in King’s Road. My sister also married a proper gooner so I got into it. I didn’t go to my first match until the 1 nil at old Trafford when adebayor scored. Only got to highbury once (Keown’s testimonial) but since then How the team does affects my moods in a ridiculous way.

In Hanoi I saw a little Boy (I’ll put the picture up) in full Arsenal kit. I wonder why as Asia is full of mancs.

Sorry Micky,went off to bed before your comments were posted.
Yes,that is the club.
It’s actually had a few name changes since the beginning.
Originally Glenquarie,but after a few years it was changed to Gunners Utd FC,as there was no actual suburb of Glenquarie…..it was a hybrid of Glenfield and Macquarie Fields.
Next it was Campbelltown Gunners,then simply Gunners FC.
I played football for them,then we started a cricket club and even a competition darts side both of which I played as well.
I loved the place.
Brett Emerton was a prodigy of the club.
I still remember actually laying the grass on the 2 main fields and one mini field as a kid.
The ground had the best grass surface and best lighting in the area.
The club is located about 40 minutes south west of Sydney,where I’ve moved an hours north of Sydney.
I’ve also ot a trophy laying aound somewhere as the 1986 clubman of the year.
Aaaahhhh,memories.

Terry Mancini,
I’m a regular on one or two forums,and early on was treated as someone who,being an Aussie,couldn’t really know much about the game and certainly not share others passion for the club.
When I’d post updates during the games…..we get every single PL game live here….for those attempting to watch on the net,they realised I actually do get up for every single game.
Also,I think a lot of fans maybe latched on to Arsenal during their heyday,but once again,when people realise did followed the club since 1977,attitudes changed.

Oh,and I’m coming over next year for one reason….a live game at The Emirates…..can’t wait.
My 6 y.o. Son,Sean,is coming too.
Sean is reading this as I type…..he’s a mad Gooner who can name the number of every player in the squad…..and told me to mention mummy is coming,too lol.

What a great idea for a post. Fantastic reading the stories of Gooners far and wide. I grew up in the flat lands of Lincolnshire (only about 100 miles from Highbury geographically but might as well have been on the other side of the moon in terms of life) and my first memory of Arsenal was Charlie George’s FA Cup winning goal and celebration in the Double winning year of ’71 – 8 years old and no idea what I had just let myself in for. A few years of travelling down on the coach with a few friends and a “responsible” 16 year old, being first at the North Bank gates and paying an insanely small amount of money (by today’s standards anyway) to get in and stand just above the moat all started the process of obsession, devotion and irrational hatred of all things N17. I also had a real lucky escape cos my first ever live game was actually at London Road, Peterborough so I could have been pals with Talkshites Adrian Durham – nah! Also had a frightening, funny and freaky experience in the North Bank v the whiteshite as a 14 year old, events which help cement the club into the heart but thats for another time. Great post Micky.

Terry/Rocky,I shall definitely be enjoying several pints whilst there,have no fear….I shall keep in touch.
The wife’s family is Irish,so we will be based there,but I’m definitely bringing the boy over for a game or two.
Bergkamp was just class personified,and a dream to watch.
Of the current crop,I love Vermaelen and Kozzer…….I’m one of the few who loved Kozzer from day one,declaring he’d be a superstar with experience.
Maybe that’s why people thought I was a dumb Aussie lol.
His early form was hardly inspiring,but I always thought there was real class.
In the old days…for me,at least,Brady and Rix were the two players I remember most.
Keep in mind that back in the 70’s and 80’s,we’d get a one our highlights show the Friday after each round,so not a hell of a lot of games for us to see.
Back in the old Gunners clubhouse I spoke of earlier,we’d have FA cup final night,as it was the one game of the season we’d get live.
I’m getting nostalgic here,but you don’t even think about these things until the subject is raised so thanks AA and all involved……thank you for indulging me.

In Exile…..that amazes me.
As I said,every single PL game is live if you have Foxel here.
I can also watch every AFL (Aussie rules) game,NRL(rugby league) game,Spanish La Liga game,Some Bundesliga games,NFL,Baseball and Gridiron Games….,it’s endless.
We may be far removed from the rest of the world,but it seems we are closer than those living a few miles from the round…incredible.

Strange how we find that link to a team that becomes a passion for us all.
I viisted a Chav (Chelsea) friend of mine who had been working in Malaysia with RAAF (oz Air force) and found a shop selling lots of reproduction shirts. I bought myself an away strip (circa 2000) and my mates 5 year old daughter a home team shirt without my mate knowing.
To this day he has not forgiven me but she is a die hard supporter and loves sticking it to her old man whenever she can. :)

Kenyan gooner. I have buddies who support manu chelsea pool arsenal. Somehow all of them were big talkers. The gooners however, were Cool, modest and always talked proper football. I wasnt looking for a trophy laden when deciding what team to follow. Whatever it was, i found it as a gooner. Something special about arsenal. I dont fancy hype,glamour and superstardom. Arsenal is great but modest. I like that.